2014-02-17 University of Karachi

On February 17, 2014 Dr. Jawed Iqbal Kazi, head of the Department of Pathology at Karachi Dental and Medical College, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen on motorcycles while leaving campus in his car.

Dr. Kazi was the Dean of Medicine at the University of Karachi, and, at the time he died, the top candidate for the position of Principal of the Karachi Medical and Dental College. He was also serving on the examination committee preparing examination papers for medical students.

As of this report the perpetrators are unknown, but investigations are underway. Police described the incident as a targeted killing, given the manner of the attack.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the apparently targeted killing of a professor. In addition to the harm to the immediate victim, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and freedom of expression in the region. State authorities have a responsibility to ensure the security of academic communities, to prevent future attacks, and to hold perpetrators of violent attacks accountable.